Retaining device for work pieces, having removable electronic control unit

Abstract

The retaining device for work pieces, includes a box-shaped body for supporting a movable retaining member for work pieces, position sensing elements for detecting operative positions of the retaining member, an electric actuator for the retaining member, arranged in a casing secured to the box-shaped body, and an electronic control unit inside a box shaped housing removably secured to a side of the same retaining device; the retaining device also includes hooking elements between the casing for the electric actuator and the box shaped housing for the electronic control unit, and fastening elements for fastening the box shaped housing for the electronic control unit to the box-shaped body of the device.

1 . Retaining device for work pieces, of the type comprising: 
 a box-shaped body having a longitudinal axis;    a retaining member for a work piece, movably supported at a first end of the box-shaped body;    position sensing means for detecting operative positions of the retaining member, said position sensing means being housed in said box-shaped body;    at least one electric actuator operatively connected to the retaining member, said actuator being arranged in a casing secured to a second end of the box-shaped body;    an electronic control unit operatively connected to the position sensing means and to the electric actuator, said electronic control unit being inside a box shaped housing secured to a side of the same retaining device;    disengageable hooking means between said casing for the electric actuator and said box shaped housing for the electronic control unit, and    disengageable fastening means for fastening said box shaped housing for the electronic control unit to said box-shaped body of the device, said hooking means and said fastening means being arranged at a bottom and upper sides of the box shaped housing for the control unit, and conformed to allow a pivotal hooking movement of the box shaped housing in respect to the casing for the actuator.    
   
   
       2 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein said disengageable fastening means comprise at least one screw-type fastening means on the box shaped housing for the electronic control unit, which engages in a corresponding threaded hole provided in the box-shaped body of the device on a side designed for fastening the same box shaped housing.  
   
   
       3 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein said hooking means comprise: 
 a hooking pin provided with an enlarged head, said hooking pin extending on a side of the casing for the electric actuator corresponding to the side of the device designed for fastening the box shaped housing for the control unit, and    a shaped cavity in said box shaped housing, having a tooth for engaging with the head of the hooking pin.    
   
   
       4 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 1 , comprising electrical connecting means for reciprocal electrical connection between the electronic control unit, the position sensing means and the electric actuator, said electrical connecting means being provided in corresponding positions on the box-shaped body of the device and on the box shaped housing for the electronic control unit.  
   
   
       5 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein said sensing means for detecting the position of the retaining member comprises a plurality of detecting sensors spaced apart from one another and aligned in a longitudinal direction on an elongated support element, the electronic control unit being pre-set to selectively activate at least one of the sensors of said plurality of sensors, in relation to at least one pre-established position of the retaining member to be detected.  
   
   
       6 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 5 , wherein the electronic control unit comprises selection means for selecting the sensor to be activated from among said plurality of detecting sensors.  
   
   
       7 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 6 , wherein the box shaped housing for the electronic control unit is provided with an access opening for said selection means for selecting the detecting sensors, a removable cap being provided for tightly closing said access opening.  
   
   
       8 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 7 , wherein the electronic control unit comprises activation means for activating the retaining device which can be operatively actuated by said closing cap.  
   
   
       9 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein said electronic control unit comprises electronic indicating means for visual indication of the operative position of the retaining member, said visual indicating means being disposed in correspondence with at least one aperture in said box shaped housing for the control unit.  
   
   
       10 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein said electronic control unit is pre-set for receiving and processing control signals for enabling the operation of the same device.  
   
   
       11 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 1 , the form of a toggle-lever clamping device, in which the retaining member is an angularly movable clamping arm, pivotally supported by the box-shaped body of the device on a front side of the box-shaped body.  
   
   
       12 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 11 , in which the device has a rectangular cross section according to a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, wherein the box shaped housing for the electronic control unit is secured on a rear short side of the same device.  
   
   
       13 . Retaining device for work pieces according to  claim 1 , in the form of a centering device, in which the retaining member is a longitudinally movable centering pin, slidingly supported by the box-shaped body of the device.  
   
   
       14 . Retaining device for retaining work pieces as claimed in  claim 1 , in the form of an underbody clamping device, in which the retaining member is in the form of a hook shaped member supported by said box-shaped body to perform an operative translation movement between a forward position in which it releases and a backward position in which it retains a work piece.